Man accused of killing teen over loud music | News

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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A teen with deep roots to metro Atlanta will be buried on Saturday, shot and killed police say over his taste in loud music.

Investigators say 17-year old Jordan Davis was sitting in the backseat of a red SUV when 45-year old Michael Dunn pulled up next to them and started to complain about the volume of their music.

Police say Davis and his friends had left the St. Johns Town Center on Black Friday and around 7:40 p.m. and stopped at the Gate gas station at Southside Boulevard and Baymeadows Road.

At some point in the confrontation, police say Dunn felt threatened and opened fire into the vehicle. Police say Dunn fired 8 or 9 shots at the SUV, striking Davis several times, before driving off. Davis was unarmed, according to police.

Davis moved to Florida about a year ago to live with his dad, but before that attended Marietta High School. He was in the ROTC program for two years. Colonel James Wilson says he wore the uniform proudly and especially shined on community service projects.

His family will receive friends and family on Friday, November 30th from 6-9pm at West Cobb Funeral Home and Crematory, 2480 Macland Road. Davis' funeral will be held on Saturday at Trinity Chapel LChurch of God, 4665 Macland Road, Powder Springs, GA, at noon. He will be buried at Kennesaw Memorial Park in Marietta.

Michael Dunn has plead not guilty to murder and attempted murder charges. His attorney says it was self defense and that the truth about what happened will come out soon.

"I can only say that he acted responsibly and as any responsible firearms owner would have acted under the same circumstances," Lemonidis said.

Dunn's attorney said Dunn's girlfriend, Rhonda Rouer, who is not facing any charges, had run into the gas station to get a bottle of wine when shots were fired.

They had just left Dunn's son's wedding reception when they stopped at the gas station.

Michael Dunn's 20-year-old daughter, Rebecca, said she went numb when she got a phone call from her uncle explaining what had happened and she said her heart goes out to Jordan Davis' family.

"He got threatened and had to do what he had to do, and it's sad, so sad," Rebecca Dunn said. "A terrible tragedy on both sides. It really is. I don't know. What are you going to do in that situation? You don't know what you are going to do. He just reacted."

On Sunday, First Coast News' camera captured Dunn's family and friends praying at his home in Satellite Beach. Rebecca said her family is rallying behind her dad.

"I just want them to know he's a good person. He's a good father. Everyone in his life loves him and everyone who met him, all of my friends are praying for him," said Rebecca Dunn. "That shows you he is a good person. He's super smart. He does computer software and he's so funny, nice, outgoing and he loves life.

Rebecca said her father loves boating, riding motorcycles and flying planes.

First Coast News has learned that in 2007 when he was on his way back to Jacksonville, he claimed he accidentally veered into restricted air space at the Kennedy Space Center.

That brought out federal officials and bomb sniffing dogs who thought the wayward plan might have been an act of terrorism.
Dunn was never charged.

As for Davis' family, they plan to start a foundation in his memory. According to the funeral home's website, Jordan Davis' family is going to create a foundation for at-risk students that suffer from tragedies.